hello. I’m Dr. Sangchul Hwang, who studies and treats autonomic nerves. Have you ever had a burning and tingling sensation in your mouth, but been told that there is nothing wrong with it? It’s not uncommon to hear this story in the clinic. Many people have a sore tongue and sore palate, but they don’t know why, and they are frustrated that medications don’t help. These symptoms are collectively called burning mouth syndrome, and they often have a different course than simple inflammation or wounds.
What is a burning mouth?
Mouth burning is a condition in which there is no obvious inflammation or ulceration of the mucous membranes of the mouth, but the discomfort of burning, stinging, tingling, or foreign body sensation persists. It can involve the tongue, palate, lips, gums, and other areas, and can fluctuate in intensity throughout the day. Patients often feel confused and wonder, “Is this really my problem?” especially after repeatedly being told that their test results are normal.
Burning mouth is difficult because it often has no single cause. It can be caused by a combination of factors, including overactive nerves, dry mouth that makes you more sensitive to irritants, tension, anxiety, and poor sleep, and gastrointestinal or reflux irritation. So the same symptom can be worse during times of stress for some people, more painful for others at small stimuli like eating or brushing their teeth, and more uncomfortable at night for others.
This is where the process of organizing your symptoms into patterns comes in. The Burning Mouth Self-Checklist is not a diagnostic tool, but rather a reference checklist to help you organize your symptoms. The idea is to organize your discomfort along the axes of “sensation,” “dryness,” “tension and sleep,” and “irritants” to help you identify discomfort that may not be explained by test results alone.
It’s not uncommon for the results of a test to not be clear-cut as one type. In fact, burning mouth is a symptom with many mixed patterns, and it’s important to remind yourself of the circumstances under which your symptoms start and worsen, rather than trying to force an interpretation on your results. The checklist is more of a tool to guide your questions than to give you answers.
However, if your symptoms persist for a long period of time, or if your pain is significantly interfering with your eating and sleeping, you may need an evaluation tailored to your individual condition rather than a simple self-check. It’s important to differentiate the cause, especially if it’s accompanied by medications, systemic illness, extreme anxiety or depression, or rapid weight changes.
Burning mouth is a symptom that may not be visible outwardly, but its impact on your daily life is no small one. Rather than trying to deal with it on your own, it’s often helpful to organize your symptoms to see if they fit a pattern. We hope this checklist is a first step in understanding your symptoms.
